This article came up on my Newsfeed on Facebook. Wonder what you all think?
Alex Zivatar
Yesterday in the mail, I received this book from my only brother as a “Birthday” gift. If you don’t know anything about the book, it is described on Amazon:
“Dinesh D’Souza, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller America, is back with this darkly entertaining deconstruction of Hillary Clinton’s flawed character and ideology. From her Alinskyite past to her hopes for America’s progressive future, the presumptive Democratic nominee is revealed to be little more than a political gangster intent on controlling the nation’s wealth. D’Souza chronicles the sleazy ascent of the Clintons and makes clear what some voters have long suspected: that Hillary is far more dangerous and corrupt than Bill ever was.”
I try to stay away from politics on my blog and will continue to do that. My brother is a stupidly loyal Trump fan and definitely not a Hillary fan. At the start of the presidential campaign he sent email after email against Hillary and for Trump. I nicely asked him to stop several times and finally just had to block his emails. I took him off my newsfeed on Facebook, as I did not want to read his rantings of “Fake News”.
So why would someone send this as a Birthday Gift? I have not idea, so I marked “Return to Sender” and dropped it off at the Post Office.
I am glad it is almost Fall, as it has not been a good summer for me. I was told if I say anything more about certain family members I will be sued for slander. I never said anything bad, just a note of what happened. The asthma attack brought on by the fires up north and a dog in the house, was not fun or the trip to Urgent Care. I discovered my neighbor is slowly trying to kill my bamboo, by cutting over thirty stalks at three feet. I just got this lovely birthday gift and now looking into my fish tank, I think my cat ate George, one of my Betas as he is not in the tank and the Catfish bottom feeder looks quite dead.
So the summer is coming to an end. The best part of summer was having my granddaughter here for three months. If only all this other shit hadn’t happened, it would have been the perfect summer.
Here’s to Fall.
Summer is coming to an end and the entourage of guests is coming to an end at the same time. Entertaining my six year-old granddaughter had highs and a few lows. With little people it is interesting how perfectly behaved they can be for about two to three weeks, then familiarity begins and you are no longer a “fun” person, you are just another boring adult. You have not changed, but their perception of the environment takes a turn. You are no longer new and exciting.
Summer Camp at the Boys and Girls Club saved the day for most of the summer, as she made new friends, had lots of fun activities and great field trips. I joined them bowling in Silverdale, but decided the bus ride was a bit unruly for me, so did not sign-up for any more field trips. It was joy to watch my granddaughter bowl for the first time ever. Of the three busloads of children, the high score (using bumpers) and on my team was 99.
When my son recently came to pick her up, we decided to take her bowling. So my off we went. We discovered a ramp you can use for littler people that lines up the bowling ball and they just push it off. The one in Silverdale is hand-made wood, but worked just as well.
It certainly improved her score. She came in with a score of 98, the best of the group. The rest of us came in with scores in the 80’s. Maybe they should have ramps for all ages, especially seniors. Guess we are not a family of bowlers. The last time I personally bowled you had to keep your own score, not a plasma screen up above the alley for all to see just how bad your were. They have senior bowl three games for free on Wednesdays. Maybe I should work on improving my score, and it my be good for my arthritis as my hands were pretty sore.
This should have been the best summer ever, as my granddaughter is a joy to be around. In reflection I think I will try to only remember the joy of sharing her summer and not the heartache of some other visitors. It was a summer where I learned maybe you just need to make yourself happy and not feel responsible for the happiness of others.
My three adult sons got to spend a weekend together. It was not without its events, but they did get to spend time talking and catching up. A couple of their friends they had not seen in a while came over and they all initiated our new beach side deck. Pavers are now under the fire pit, rather than warped boards.
My husbands children arrived for the next weekend. They spent time on the new deck and added a little more initiation rites to the deck as they stayed up and talked into the night. Maybe we need to think of a way to have “smaller” fires. I wish I could say that weekend went well, but it ended on a majorly sour note.
We all see the world through our own set of blinders. We see what we want to see, how we want to see it. We can all be in the same room at the same time and have a totally different experience. Our memory of what is said and done is biased by our view of life. The bias can be small or it can be extreme. I learned a little of the extreme before I had to start blocking emails. I now know my view of the world is my view and only my view. People may understand how you see the world, but they do not see it the same way.
Next summer I think we just take a vacation. It would probably cost a lot less money than what we spent on toys, clothes, food and wine and for some reason I think it might a lot less stressful.
As our children grow into adults and become the people they are going to be our role changes and we are no longer the parent. Adapting to whatever role we have or don’t have in their lives is not as simple as one might think. We are no longer the person of knowledge that we were in their youth. As we become grayer in hair, we are perhaps grayer to them, not the lively over-active person they have always known.
One night I took my granddaughter to a local Mexican restaurant to dinner. We ordered guacamole with the chips, as they come with just salsa. I ordered two tacos and she had a quesadilla. Neither of us are big eaters, so I never order full blown meals there. When I the bill came I was charged for two orders of guacamole. I pointed it out to the waiter and realized by his expression he did not think I would notice. Telling my older neighbor about this she shared that she thinks people see your gray or white hair and think you have less gray matter in your brain.
When I started getting gray hair, I did not start getting stupid. When I started getting gray hair I did not start to get meaner, but I do stand up for what I believe in. As I get more gray hair I am seeing people view you differently than they did when you were younger. I am finally okay with that, but I do think you need to look for the humor. The other day when I was out running errands I found a sign to put by my front door. If I can match the paint, I may change the W in WITCH to a B.
Simple greens are always wonderful for a Spring Dinner. These were purchased from a local farmer at a Farmer’s Market this last weekend. Add a little avocado (always good), some cherry tomatoes, and a few blueberries and you have a delicious salad. I like the Italian way with dressing, but use Champagne Vinegar instead of Balsamic, as it is a little lighter. I add a teaspoon or so of the best Olive Oil I can find. Perfection with a little freshly grated Regiano Parmesano added on the top.
*Note: I try to buy Regiano Parmesano that has the rind on two of the sides, as it has much more flavor closer to the rind. I grate it right before serving, so the flavor is fresher. I keep the rind in the freezer and throw into soups for additional flavor, just pulling out what remains before I serve. I noticed our local gourmet grocery store has started selling the rinds.
Tonights main course was a recipe I found in the newest edition of Skinny One Pan Dining. Almond crusted Chicken with Fresh Spinach. It was a delight!
A couple of tips. Start the pan very hot, then lower temperature, so it does not burn, but is cooked all the way through. I used Glutton Free Panko and put it with the Almonds and the Rosemary in my little blender, so they were all the same size.
Rosemary grows like a weed in the Pacific Northwest, so I have it several places in my garden and on my deck in my potted herb garden. I just added another pot this weekend, so I could Dill and Mint.
Take it from me, do NOT plant mint in your yard, as it will take over your yard. I did this one of my first houses and it took over the whole side of the house, sort of like bamboo, or Creeping Jenny.
French Onion Soup, with a little homemade Focaccia on the side for a light dinner. I just didn’t photograph the pasta that followed and ruined the effect.
Love these little soup bowls as you can have just a little taste of soup for the first course. I often do this when entertaining or just for the two of us at home.
When I make a simple soup, I make a lot and freeze it in Mason Jars. (Just be sure to leave room at the top for freezing space) On nights I don’t feel like cooking. [You know the one that you have spent all day in the garden], it is nice to know there is something simple and good in the freezer; and just add a salad and you have dinner in ten minutes.
In the summer there is always lots of lettuce growing in my garden, so that is the time of year I love salads the most.
This last month I added a herb garden in planters on my covered deck, so I can have fresh herbs at my disposal all year, without walking out in the rain to cut them. My husband installed a drip system, so I don’t even have to worry about watering them. It is just nice!
This summer we will install a translucent wall, so they get light and we have privacy. The only disadvantage of living on the beach, is the close proximity to other houses. These little additions make fresh cooking so simple.
Sometimes it is more than just making a cake. It is joy; it is pleasure, is the happiness of sharing time together and the fun of putting the fun decorations on a simple chocolate cake. It is the pleasure of knowing young people at the office where my son works got to have a piece. Actually the half that we sent into Nokia disappeared before 10 AM with email announcement or notice. Guess they liked, but there is the notion that it is difficult not to like chocolate.
Claire, my four year old granddaughter has such a good time sticking the chocolate rolls into the frosting and sharing with dad, my son, when he came home. For me, it her working so hard to mix the cake by hand, working the ingredients together and laughing throughout the entire process.
Joy is where you least expect it. Baking a cake with a good friend is right up with the best things to do. And I don’t even eat cake, but I do steal a little of the frosting…..
These Oshgosh altered dresses are available for purchase at my Etsy account under the name Diana Kingsley. They are only available in one size each and they vary from 3 mo to 18 mo.
Now that is a winning combination. Found this pattern online this morning and immediately ordered it.
My best friend and I have been friends for over thirty years. We have sons, the same ages, a daughter and son within two weeks of each other and two younger children. Then she had a wonderful surprise and her twins are also my God Sons.
I thought of her when I put this together, thinking we should have coffee in Paris some day before we are too old to enjoy it. Alexandra this is for you!!
Don’t forget to check out my website at www.dianakingsley.net