The Blog Formerly Known as An Orange County Sitcom

At least she's honest

Found this blog today, subtitled "Eating my way through Ohio one day at a time".  The blog owner describes herself as a "thirtysomething fat married chick who loves to eat locally and try new things."  Her honesty is so refreshing! 

I think I need to lose a few pounds, but I'm not classified as "overweight" yet by clinical standards.  According to Dr. Laura, I will be soon.  She said recently that at the current increasing rate of overweight & obesity in America, in 40 years 100% of Americans will be overweight or obese.  Her comment seemed tongue-in-cheek - but the statistics *are* pretty shocking.  I heard on the news not long ago that children born in America today are the first generation recorded whose life expectancy is lower than their parents'.

All that to say - gotta run - Thing 1 is in the kitchen making Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Sign of the times

We've been having some work done on our new house.  One day last week we were not at home when the workmen were here, and we wanted to keep the dog locked up and out of the way.  So GWH helpfully posted this sign on the laundry room door:

I think it means don't let the dog out.  But I'm not really sure.

I'm operating under the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy with all the workers here at the house.  Let's just assume all of them are documented.  On 3 occasions I've been so happy that GWH is fluent in Spanish.  I smile and nod at the worker who is valiantly trying to tell me something *very* important.  Then I hand him the phone, with GWH on the other end of the line.  The workman is obviously visibly relieved as he discusses the problem with GWH, then he hands the phone back to me and hubby explains what the worker was trying to communicate.   Often there's a foreman who speaks English.  Yesterday I told Thing 2, "Go outside and tell the one who speaks English that he can turn the breaker off now."  I'm not sure how Thing 2 figured out which one spoke English, but it all worked out OK.

What's for dinner?

I've been trying a lot of new recipes lately.  Here's what the Things and I had for lunch:

You can find the recipe for this rarebit here.  We used an expensive cheese but cheap bread - wish I'd had a good loaf of crusty white bread around for this lunch.

Last night we had this:
(I was looking for something with Greek flavor - this had feta, lemon, & dill with the spinach). The recipe is here.

And for brunch on Saturday we had this:
This recipe needs a little work...the flavors were great but the textures were strange.  I don't like baked strawberries; not sure why I didn't remember that before making the recipe.

(I think Thing 1 took all the pix...but I help stage them, adding garnishes, etc.)

I thought my life was bad

Really, really bad.

Then I watched Rambo 4 and decided my life was good.

Really, really good.

Then I ate lemon cake and decided it was fantastic!

This is from Cook's Illustrated...you can find the recipe here (you have to register to see recipes at their site...but it's free).

Proud to be an American

 

Photographs by Thing 1.

Sorry about the long absence

I had a billing problem - can you believe Typepad actually verifies the billing address every month when they automatically charge your credit card?  The billing address on the card had changed, but I hadn't updated it on the Typepad website so the charge was denied and Typepad suspended my posting privileges.  And I was just too dang lazy to reinstate it until yesterday.

Speaking of the new billing address - some of you may know that the OC Family has moved.  Across the border, as it were, so we are no longer technically the OC Family.  Somehow "A Riverside County Sitcom" doesn't have the same ring to it.  What should I do?  How about a "Name that Blog" contest?  Sorry that I can't afford $500 prizes like The Pioneer Woman.

So let me know your ideas.  The front runner so far is "The Blog Formerly Known as An Orange County Sitcom."

Scorpions and Mountain Lions

I just found out about those.  Please add them to your copy of the field guide.

GWH actually brought me one of them, deceased, in a baggie.  Can you guess if it's the scorpion or the mountain lion?

Field guide to the OC Family's new home

Ants
Black Widows
Tarantulas
Rattlesnakes
Coyotes
Bobcats
Small dead furry things in back yard, killed by the above.

Just a handy checklist for you to bring when you come visit us.

I found this really cool blog today.

Check it out. :)

Maybe you'll see someone you know listed here.

Shakespeare Hates Your Emo Poems

Thing 1 got a new t-shirt:

And I wrote haiku in honor of it:

Emo kids take note
Shakespeare hates your poetry
Try haiku instead

OK, after I wrote this I realized it might be misunderstood.  Haiku IS poetry, so to say try haiku “instead” might be read that it’s instead of poetry – which doesn’t make sense.  What I mean is try haiku instead of angst-ridden poems such as this one by Walter Landor:

“Why do our joys depart
For cares to seize the heart?
I know not.  Nature says
Obey and man obeys.
I see and know not why
Thorns live and roses die.”

And that’s the only thing I remember from 12th grade AP English Lit.

No offense intended to any emo readers of my blog.  I am a former emo – I was emo before anybody knew what emo was – so I totally understand and I am there for you, KWIM?