Writing practice....

describe something. GO.

Artichoke hearts. I adore them because not only are they incredibly tasty but they are a little world you can unfold. Like most chocolates, candies and friends, the best part is in the center, at the heart. I eat the outside leaves in anticipation of what lies just below. The other thing about artichokes is that you really have to work for them. You have to clean them
and trim off the spiky ends of the leaves and then boil water for them to steam in for at least 40 minutes before you can enjoy them.
Everyone has their own lil concoction of what to dip them in. My dad likes to mix yogurt, tahini and soy sauce together (he's an odd bird i know), some go straight for the plain mayo or melted butter (hi clogged arteries) but I do the following. I melt a mixture of butter and EVOO then i add garlic salt and Parmesan cheese to it for my dipping delight. It's magnificent.
Trader Joe's sells a 4 pack of small baby artichokes and my favorite dinner is to sit down with 2 (well 3) of those and pick to it's heart's delight.

jamesandkati.com

It's so so sad. I can't stop thinking about the family that got lost in Oregon in the snow for 2 weeks, stuck in their car. They were on the right path in life. A happy family from San Fran. Both with successful careers and two daughters. From the photographs you can see that they cherished them so much. Then they literally take the wrong path and now the father is dead and their world is a nightmare. They missed their turn off to I5 while driving home down the coast and they got stuck in the snow. After 9 days the dad, James, left his family to try for help. The family was rescued without him 2 days later and then yesterday he was found dead from hypothermia about a mile away from the car.
I can only imagine the heartache Kati feels right now and it makes me so sad for the future they had in their grasp and will never be. It brings out my fears of this happening to me someday. I'm sure Kati is a strong women who will raise her little girls with family support the way James would have wanted her too and I'm sure thier daughter will sort of remember him but they won't know him and there's such a vast difference.
One of my friends dad drowned in Italy while the family was on vacation when she was 12 and I know there is a sadness in her soul that will never go away. Her mom never remarried or even dates really. She's commited herself to being a mom and that's her purpose now.

It's so hard to find a mate that fits you in the first place. How can you ever find another when the bar is set so high. I guess my bars been set at Chadd's best highjump, 6'10'' and there aren't many men out there that can beat it. I hope I never have to look.

God bless you Kati.

loves bandaid

If I were there right now I would be looking around anxiously for a doctor while squeezing your hand. I’d hum to you and pat your back to a soothing rhythm. I would speak on your behalf and ask all the questions I could think of, if I were there. You’d look in my eyes and be so pathetic that my heart would tear and I’d say “if I could be the one in pain and take it away from you I would”, even though we both know I’m a huge puss and couldn’t handle what you are going through now and what you’ve always gone through. Right now I need to see your pain and hold you because speculating while sitting at work is killing me. Has the doctor seen you or are you still sitting there in agony? Don't understand that you need to be fixed? I would kiss it and make you better if I could. I’m sorry you didn’t sleep at all last night and that I did. I didn’t know you were up. Next time tell me and I’ll be there on the couch with you. Grouching together is better than alone. I love you.

I'm out of practice at spending the day alone. It's like a muscle so if you don't use it, you loose it. I stay pretty busy running around in circles filled with work, kitties, chadd and family. To clarify, I'm a master at hanging at home alone all day watching tv & movies, magazines, laying by the pool, tinkering and playing on the puter. But I'm in San Diego alone and I want to explore. If only I had a legit camera. Then I could wander the streets carelessly seeing how the world looks differently through my rose colored lens. But I didn't have one, so instead I did a bit of shopping, lunching & reading and after a tasty Margarita I did a bit of cruising. Lets face it, most things are chiller after one drink. My bestie Liz agrees.
Here's our short list:
Flirting
Dancing
Snuggling
Flying
Watching comedy
Eventing
Doing your hair and make-up
and sassing among others..

In the spirit of lists, I've made another.

Drinks I enjoy from time to time:
Margarita: rocks, NO salt
vodka, rocks, extra lime
champagne (with a lil chamborg for the fancy pants in you)
pear cider
coronda w/ lime
Lemon drop
Key lime martini from this small bar in Hyde Park, Cincy
Baileys on the rock
Chianti, Cab Sav or a tasty Pino Noir.

Cheers!