You say you want a resolution....well ya know, we all want to change the world

New Year's Resolutions.  Tough aren't they.  You have such great hopes for them.  On the Eve we all thought of things we wanted to do more of and do less of.  I wanted to be more positive and eat less saturated fat (or something like that).  

It's not that I am a negative person, but I tend to slip up and start obsessing about the negative aspect of any situation because for some reason it seems to be an easier conversation for me.   I need to stop that.  Yesterday this was very difficult.  We ordered a new dishwasher and thought it would show up at our house installed and ready to go.  Well, since Best Buy employees are from another world that does not acknowledge customer service, they delivered the dishwasher and told us we didn't pay extra to have it set up (nice if they had told us of the extra cost).  

Delivery men:  Where do you want it (the dishwasher)?

Jesse:  Where the old dishwasher is?

Delivery men place new dishwasher in front of old dishwasher

Delivery men:  Ok, sign here.

Jesse:  No, put it in there where the old one is.

Delivery men:  We don't do that.  You have someone else come and install it and then call us back and we can come and take the old one.

Jesse:  WTF!

Something like that.  I tried to be positive (because that was my NY's resolution).  What I find helpful is to remember how lucky I am to have what I have and to be grateful for everything around me.   So with the dishwasher situation I thought, I am lucky I have clean running water at all when so many people in the world do not.   I should not take this dishwasher in my living room for granted.   

On a serious note, we should all be grateful for what we have this year and to not stress about the petty, annoying, messy conflicts that get in the way of all the positivity in our world.  

...and to realize that an extra dishwasher in your living room works well as a end table.  

The Big Apple....Pancake

So this blog is based on a recipe from another blog that could be based on a recipe from another blog.  The blog world is so full of redundancies.  Alice Q Foodie is actually a blog I really like for recipes.  Most of the recipes I have made from her blog has been wonderful (can't speak so much for other blogs that will remain nameless).  This one is my favorite because it is easy and looks fancy.  I meant to make it for Erin and Jesse when they were visiting, but somehow the days got away from us (and donuts on New Years Day sounded too good to pass up--thank you Happy Donuts again for quenching the donut thirst on off hours).  Anyways, this delicious breakfast treat will please anyone who is lucky enough to stay at your house for the weekend.  Don't forget to make it just for yourself as well.  Hope you like the Big Apple Pancake as much as I do!

Searching for a Treasure

Blog is back in action.  Hope you are all still with me or will shortly join again.  I plan to highlight some of the Holiday spirit, but first wanted to recap my cool day in Alameda.  Actually I have spent most of the last 48 hours in Alameda.  Last night we went to the Lucky Ju Ju Pinball.  It was $10 for unlimited pinball.  You don't know how much you love pinball until you play it for 3 hours straight.  Then top it off with grilled cheese at Nations and it makes for a fun night.  

Anyways, today we went to the Antique Flea Market in Alameda.  We had a list or things we were looking for and had a decent amount of success.  The best find was this beautiful china cabinet.  It was ridiculously cheap and the seller delivered it for $15 (although he wouldn't haul it up the 35 stairs (thank you Kevin)).  It was dated from the 40's, but had been refinished with a coat of paint.  We also found a large copper tin to put our firewood in and my favorite, a punch bowl (it's on the bottom shelf in the cabinet).  It came with 20 cups!  There were 100's of stalls and acres of antique furnishings, clothes, jewelry, art work and everything else you can imagine. Just wear your walking shoes, lots of sunscreen and be ready to bargain.      

So odd

This picture was just too odd not to post.  It is a Turkey....I think. 

Oceanside Pier

I'm back.  Wow, those Holidays really take up all your time.  I have been too busy to blog. We headed down to San Diego and LA for Thanksgiving so we could celebrate with both sets of parents.  It was lots of fun and great weather.  The downside was visiting Walmart on Thanksgiving Day.  I wouldn't have, but needed to purchase a last minute Birthday gift for Jesse's Gma and surprise, surprise it was the only thing open.  I didn't realize at the time that I was risking my life.  It felt safe enough, but we did see stacks of boxes that were marked "Do not place on floor until THE DAY" or something menacing like that.  An upside was Historic Oceanside Pier.  

Oceanside Pier is a little gem.   It is one of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast and spans 1,942 feet in length.  The pier we visited was the 6th to be built in Oceanside (the rest destroyed after many bad storms) and was built in 1987.  The really cool thing about this pier is Jesse and his sister's names are engraved into the pier.  On any given day people can be seen fishing, strolling or eating at Ruby's Diner located at the end of the pier.  Very serene and good old fashioned fun.  

We All Had a Ball

Here are a few highlight photos from our end of season soccer party.  We choose to forego the last game and instead party like soccer players.  

Don't be a Turkey

You are what you eat.  So I guess we are all Turkeys next Thursday.  That wouldn't be so bad if you are eating a free range organic turkey.  Unfortunately most of us are eating the "Large White" which was developed in the 1950's, crossbred many times over to ensure a larger breast and more white meat, and an ability to grow quickly to an enormous size.  These days it is the standard commercial turkey, known by some as "The Dolly Parton of turkeys."

I'm not usually too preachy about food (unless asked for an opinion of course), but these poor broad breasted whites have short legs, can't fly, can't mate naturally (bred via artifcial insemination).  They usually wouldn't live past a year because their large breasts will weigh them down and eventually they can no longer walk.  Obviously none of us want this.  

The other option which is becoming more and more popular and readily available are Heritage Turkeys.  They have less white meat and longer legs with more thigh meat than Dolly.  Many say the heritage turkey is richer as a result of the breed, feed quality and length of life.  Heritage turkeys are older, slaughtered at eight months instead of the usual four months of Ms. Parton.  They can put on more fat leading to a more succulence and deeper flavor.  Most are free range, meaning they can roam a yard and forage for natural foods.  They can take flight and roost in trees and if the mood strikes them, eventually mate with others.  This is the Sophia Loren of turkeys.   Make the wise choice this Thanksgiving and choose breast reduction, wind in their feathers, flying high...Heritage Turkeys.  We could all use a little bit of this in our lives.