Month: February 2015

What do Dirty Foreheads, Chocolate, Facebook and Diet Coke have in common?

Simply put, faith. And check out the ash-happy job my priest did last year in that photo… impressive, huh? He said I needed extra ashes.
And come this April 5th, look out- don’t get between me and any corn dogs or chicken wings. You have been warned.

CatholicMemes.com for your hip humor needs.
CatholicMemes.com for your hip humor needs.

But I digress… all of the above are some common ways people sometimes remind themselves of what their faith means to them, and how they arrived at their beliefs. During Lent you, some of your friends, and acquaintances may be giving up chocolate, Diet Coke or Facebook; on Wednesday; February 18th you might see a lot of smudgy, dirty foreheads.

Why?
BustedHalo.com sum it up nicely in about two very jazzy minutes:

In choosing to avoid or give up something that is usually part of my every day life, I have the opportunity to remind myself, multiple times each day, of what my faith means to me. This year, it’s gonna be MEAT. Yow. This will be a toughie. Many times each day I will be reminded to stop and offer a prayer, give thanks, and contemplate my faith.

I’ve never given up coffee… I love my family too much to inflict a cranky, grumpy me on them.

The Two Mile Monkey is Off My Back

I did it. I finally did it.

I ran two miles. Straight. No stopping! Well, we aren’t going to count stopping at the water fountains at either end of the neighborhood park are we? No, we are not. This is my blog about my new things. I get to make the rules, so, shaddap. And yes, I want a medal.

At one point this summer, this guy was faster than me.
At one point last summer, this guy was faster than me.

The Kinesthetically Omniscient Husband commented on my morning run yesterday. It has taken me over a year of off and on practice- mostly on, thankyouverymuch, but I’m overjoyed to say that most mornings I run two miles. The problem is, after around the first mile I slow to a walk at a water fountain, stop for a good ten minutes of yoga(ish) stretching and deep breathing, then continue with the second mile. The Husband, a life-long active type, reminded me to be careful that I wasn’t just training myself to take a break at one mile… he also knows that I have the goal to run a 5K this year. Dammit. Should have kept my goals to myself.

All I can say is, it was still a beautiful and perfect day to step it up. The wind was blowing just right and instead of the aroma of my and every neighbor’s stale refuse (PSA- Don’t run on a trash day), the run was filled with the smell of sweet grasses and roses. Seriously, roses. Everyone’s roses are blooming profusely right now (sorry, Midwest and Northeast friends. Just stop reading now!).

Roses. In February.
Roses. In February.
So. Cal. is awash in chaparral of sages and indigenous oaks. The vegetation smells wonderful as you hike through it.
So. Cal. is awash in chaparral of sages and indigenous oaks. The vegetation smells wonderful as you hike through it.

All of the earlier winter rains we received in the Southwest have contributed to the most wonderful flowers and grasses in our canyons and natural areas. One good onshore breeze and you are in heaven, believe me. The chaparral here is full of different kinds of sage and herbs- The Husband has a friend who puts the local sage in his home-brewed beer. One fellow cyclist commented “Hey! It tastes like a bike ride!”

I’m just happy I finally broke that straight through the two miles barrier. Next goal: add in the hills. Am I going to regret sharing this? I hope not.

Mmmmmm… Lemon Drop Cocktail

Yea! Talked The Husband into picking a couple of lemons off of my little Meyer lemon bush… it was after dark, and that is when the black widow spiders come out. Ick.

It was worth his trouble, since I let him make cocktails for us. I’m nice like that.

Lemon Drop Cocktail-

Per drink you will need:
1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz lemon juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1/4 oz Cointreau

optional- lemon flavored sugar to put on the rim of the glass

Anchor Hocking 5 oz. Measuring Glass (Amazon has them, click the photo to go to Amazon)
Anchor Hocking 5 oz. Measuring Glass (Amazon has them, click the photo to go to Amazon)

And as far as kitchen tools are concerned, this little bugger (pictured left) is great. For this drink tonight, we wanted to measure out these fussy, small amounts correctly to decide if we really liked this recipe. We use it whenever we need to take the pains to accurately measure small amounts of liquids. Like tonight.

Small, easy to clean and inexpensive and store citrus juicer.
Small, easy to clean and inexpensive and store citrus juicer.

I’d also recommend a small, easy to clean and store citrus juicer, like the one pictured on the right. Unless you have all the space in your kitchen for cute, green for limes, larger yellow for lemons and largest for oranges citrus squeezers, go right ahead. I don’t. (Click that link to see…)

This was really tasty, by the way! The Husband recommends having well chilled vodka for this, or shaking the concoction with ice before pouring into your glass.

Cheers!

February Tourist Trip- Dragging the Family to Oceanside

It’s getting difficult to get the four of us together for a tourist day. Between college and high school entrance requirements we are more scattered than ever.
Plus, the half hour ride in the car to get anywhere means 30 minutes of butt jokes coming from the back seat.

Aside from bringing The Girl to her friend’s house in Oceanside (pre-licensed teenager days), the only thing I associated with this city was a long drive down the coast to my great-grandparents condo when my brother and I were younger. We had nothing to do but read the books we brought along. Our other option was to slip and slide down a long iceplant covered hill, cross a highway and buy candy at a 7-11 mini mart. When the great-grandparents’ health began to fail, I don’t remember helping out with any of moving or cleaning… we were probably just under foot while others took care of the work, but then again, we were just flaky little punks back then. My brother did a complete turnaround not long after that, and since then he’s the one the family can count on when the older family members have needed anything.

Clear at the start of the walk...
Clear at the start of the walk…
15 minutes later at the end of the pier.
15 minutes later at the end of the pier.
I'm guessing this is a California Brown Pelican. His beak can hold more than his belly can, you know...
A California Brown Pelican? His beak can hold more than his belly can, you know…
Egret posing for my camera on the Oceanside pier.
Egret posing for my camera on the Oceanside pier.

Today we spent the afternoon driving through beach towns before arriving in Oceanside. We walked to the pier with the sun in our faces only to have the marine layer roll in by the time we reached the end of the walk. After five days of Santa Ana conditions, I was in heaven! My kids played on the boardwalk like I did decades ago. They loved seeing the sand underneath give way to the rocks then the waves. We snapped pictures of birds waiting to snatch the catch away from people fishing on the pier. I busted them before they could spit on the surfers below. Fourteen-year-old boys are such… fourteen-year-old boys. Especially when egged on by the big sister.

“OK, now we don’t have to go to Oceanside again.” That was The Husband’s observation.
He prefers the Encinitas, Cardiff and Del Mar scene.

There are about 25 surfers just to the right of this photo, taken at 4:15ish...
There are about 25 surfers just to the right of this photo, taken at 4:15ish…
There are still at least 25 surfers and one BIG sea lion in this pic taken at 4:45
Still at least 25 surfers and one BIG sea lion in this pic taken at 4:45, I swear.
Robert's Cottages are available to rent on a weekly or monthly basis... details found here:
These cottages are available to rent on a weekly or monthly basis… for details click here: robertscottages.com

Jazz Bar Again… Only Took about 30 Years

About 30 years ago my family went on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate my brother’s recuperation from being utterly creamed by a drunk driver. I’m not too sure of the details, but essentially, my brother’s insurance settlement paid for a lot of that trip. I never asked about the details, I was just glad that at 17 I didn’t lose my brother and one year later he was off crutches and healing. PSA- Don’t drink and drive, people.

There was a jazz bar on that cruise ship. Did you know that 18 is the legal drinking age at sea? And what did I do when I saw the opportunity to sit in with the Big People, enjoy their adult beverages, and appreciate good music?  I ordered myself a gin and tonic- (something I thought my martini-loving gramma would have suggested) and went to that bar almost every evening, that’s what I did! Note- one gin and tonic each night… I obviously had issues with excessive drinking, driving or not.

We had a great trip, but what I remember most was how anxious I was to get back home… ten days earlier I had met the most fabulous guy. He was so handsome, funny, smart, attentive and most surprising of all, interested in ME! Jackpot!

Twenty-nine years, five months and a couple dozen days later, he’s taking me to dinner where we can listen to jazz. The music of Gilbert and Lorraine Castellanos is featured at Croce’s Park West in San Diego tonight. I can’t recommend this venue enough- Croce’s Park West on Banker’s Hill is one of the nicest, most comfortable places we’ve spent time at in a long time. The food- excellent, the atmosphere- tops. And the music? Perfect. I think Jim would be proud, Ingrid.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cocktails at Croce's
Cocktails at Croce’s
IMG_5513_2
Gilbert and Lorraine Castellanos click to link to Lorraine’s site- besosdecoco.com
Live jazz... doesn't get any better!
Live jazz… doesn’t get any better! Click photo to link to Gilbert Castellanos’s site- gilbertcastellanosjazz.com
Croce's Park West, Banker's Hill in San Diego
Photo links to croces.com Loved it!

Croce’s Portal | Portal to all things Croce’s | Jim Croce, Ingrid Croce, A.J. Croce and Croces Park West.