Ugh

Yes, this happened in my town. In my neighborhood, less than a mile from me. And it is terrible and there is a special place in hell for people who abuse/kill/hurt children. No one knew where Lusby was, and now it's the place where evil lived. Sick.

I've been dreaming about eating meat a lot. Which is weird. Last night I had a dream where Jim and Pam (from the Office-not the actors, the actual characters) took me to Burger King and I got a double cheeseburger. And had my hair petted by Jim. Ahhh, lovely.

I also dreamed that I was looking for a place to tinkle. And kept finding places (one was the Burger King bathroom) but couldn't seem to pee. I finally found a quiet place in the basement of a courthouse (whatever, I'd driven my motorcycle there) and was just about to relax enough to pee when...the alarm went off. I'm pretty sure I was one second from wetting the bed b/c I really had to go when I woke up. Not sure why I'm sharing this, but I guess it's easier to wet the bed as an adult than I expected. Especially since the only time I've EVER wet the bed was when I was on medication the first night I was in San Diego. Yeah, I wet my jammies a little and the hotel bed...but moved the next night and washed my jams, so it wasn't so bad. It was only a little!!! Why am I admitting these things? Katey Piss Pants!

I made some lentil soup from Veganomicon. No good. Does anyone have a good lentil soup recipe? I admit, I thought it would taste better with some ham, but God knows I don't want that.

I am obsessed with Metallica lately. Yeah, I know, whatever.

Too Much Drama Today

Today our little town had some "big city issues". You can read a little blurb here. Basically, a woman who worked at a local bank was kidnapped from her house at gunpoint (with her two small children) forced to drive two armed men to the bank where she worked and told to rob the bank. She did as requested, and the gunmen dropped her and her family off in a parking lot, and then ditched her car a few miles away where they got into another car and haven't been found. The victims are fine, called the police and an all-out manhunt began. Actually it began earlier than her release, as the bank teller who assisted her at the bank (they were coworkers) called the police as well. So ALLLLLLLLLL the roads in St. Mary's county were blocked off, stopping anyone from going out. They had helicopters everywhere, and they kept coming back to base to refuel and it was very creepy. The problem for me? Well, I had my allergy appointment today, over the bridge in Calvert county (where I live). Well, the news reported that they'd closed the bridge. So I left waaay early and got to pass all this drama as it was still happening. I had to go through several "armed" check points but since I was in a white prius and not a black nissan it was a little easier to get through. I get to the bridge and it's open...but there was a 4 car pile-up on it, so it was still slow, but nothing like the detour I might have had to take. It was very dramatic, they haven't caught the suspects, but the victims are fine, though shaken up. The area is really getting a little scary lately, especially in a "triangle" of crime, from area roads.

As for the allergy test-I don't have the full list of everything I'm allergic to because they are mailing it, but out of the 31 allergens they tested for, I was allergic to 28 of them. Cats, dogs, molds, all plants, dust, all the good ones. I am now drugged up to help with the allergies and related asthma, so we'll see how it goes. I may be getting allergy shots, but we aren't planning that for a few months because I have a lot on my plate right now and we want to see how the meds work. So sorry Lily, you can't sleep with me anymore. And by sleep I mean, kick and scratch me all night, pushing me into Daddy who yells at ME for being a bedhog when it's really your rolley poley body. But I'll let you in when Daddy works late, don't worry!

Lots of Miles on My Car

I had quite a long weekend. With a lot of driving. On Friday I drove up to Northern Virginia to see Lindsay and her family. About 30 minutes in I got a call from our Realtor and had to turn around to go sign a paper, so I was a little sidetracked. I finally got to Lindsay's and we went to Sunflower cafe again for lunch, which is the vegan restaurant. So good. I got the same meal again (the bento box) and Linds got this avacado and jicama sandwich which was also really good. Then we went to Penzeys, which is a spice store. I about died with excitement. It was like the best place ever. Then we went to Trader Joes to pick up some Lambrusca. Delicious! Our last stop was Cake Love, which is a cupcake/cake place in the mall. They had vegan cupcakes, which is nice, but I will confess...I didn't choose the vegan cupcakes. I didn't. None of them were chocolate so what is the damned point? So yes, I ate some eggs and milk. And butter. AWESOME. The terrible flatulance after, not so much, but delicious at the time! I thought the cupcakes I make are a little better, but whatever. Probably the guilt factor added to that. Then we came home and went out with her husband and son to the local Mexican place. Yummers!

The next day was my day with her son. We were planning to go to the Air and Space Museum, but at the last minute he decided he wanted to go to the Marine Corps Museum, which we'd been to before. Good for me because it was super close, but I still want to take him up to the Udvar-Hazy. Maybe next time. Then we had a nice lunch at Burger King (his request) and he was very happy with the toy in his kids meal, even if it wasn't the Dragon that he wanted. Then we went to Wegman's to do a homework assignment for him, and then we were back at the house. Fun fun. Shortly after that I left...and I left my steam cleaner there because Lindsay's husband was still using it since I'd offer it's awesomeness to them. So I get home after the 2 hour drive. Oh, and Lily had vomited everywhere. Nice. So I had to clean that up sans steam cleaner. Whatever...still had a little stain. On Sunday, Yukon wasn't feeling well at all, and I ended up spending the day with him, watching him and consoling him. He had an infected tooth following his tooth extraction last week. Great. Well it went into Monday and I took him to the vet and they gave him meds. Which he threw up as soon as we got home. Making a HUGE mess. So I called Lindsay and the best option was that I was going to drive all the way back up there to get the steam cleaner because I desperatly needed it. So I drove ALL THE WAY UP THERE AGAIN. Got there, peed, and turned right around. Crazy. But the carpet looks great!

Please Respond as You See Fit

This was recently brought to my attention through an email from peta. Do not read if you are faint of heart, and certainly don't view the video.

I don't think everyone should be Vegan. I don't think that people shouldn't eat meat and that ALL farmers treat their products this way. What I do think, is that large conglomerate companies are much harder to keep track of and employ individuals that aren't "farmers" but "factory workers". This abuse of animals is terrible, terrible, terrible, and while I believe that is is an anomoly and not the norm, I certainly won't be purchasing products from Hormel until I hear that the inviduals involved have been terminated and their practices changed. Whether you care about the treatment of animals or not, the fact that workers urinated into the areas where they feed the animals may be of interest to you.

Again, please don't take this as terrible propaganda but I felt it was my responsibility to get the word out to my small circle of friends that Hormel wasn't such a great place to get your meat products. I know Mircea will cry b/c I won't buy him Dinty Moore anymore, but I know that our tastebuds aren't worth the pain inflicted on those animals that provide us life sustaining nourishment.

Off my soapbox, but this just boils my blood and makes me afraid of the world we live in where humans could treat ANYTHING this way.


UPDATE: I received the following email in response to my letter to Hormel. They are saying that they are not the owners of the hog farms, but indicating that they are suppliers for Hormel. They also provided a link. I am not sure if this completely apeases me, but in fairness, they did respond.

A video was released the evening of September 16, 2008 that showed images from a
hog farm in Iowa. It is important to note that the farm in the video is not a
Hormel Foods' farm and the people are not Hormel Foods' employees.
We find
the images in this video appalling and they are inconsistent with our standards
and industry standards for animal handling.
The abuse on the video depicted
practices that are completely unacceptable.
We expect all current suppliers
to adhere to the proper animal handling standards from day one and continue to
do so throughout our relationship.
We are working with our supplier to ensure
this activity is no longer taking place, and they are investigating this matter
and will take appropriate disciplinary actions, including terminating
employees.
Underscoring our company's zero tolerance policy, we have in the
past terminated employees, truckers and contracts with producers when animal
welfare issues have arisen.
Animal welfare and animal husbandry have always
been top priority at Hormel Foods. This is simply about treating animals
humanely because it's the right thing to do. We take our zero tolerance policy
for the inhumane treatment of animals very seriously and have implemented many
standards outlined in our responsibility report :
http://www.hormelfoods.com/responsibility/process/animalWelfare.aspx.
Rochelle
Kroc
Manager Of Consumer Response

It's Wednesday!

I really don't have much to say. Hopefully early next week I'll be able to write a whole post on how our offer was FINALLY accepted on the house we want. But at this point, I'm still patiently waiting. Our Realtor called yesterday to say that the Seller's Realtor said it should be approved by then, so we'll see. We're actually looking at some other houses tonight as back up...and to ensure that we've made the right choice (that is if we get it) so we'll see.


Oooh, I bought a pretty green sweater yesterday and when I got home (I'm wearing it today) today, my sweet Fernie jumped on my lap and I realized that the sweater is the same color as her eyes. We're so beautiful together!! I love that baby.

Countdown to new episodes of the office...8 days. Oh, I may fall over with excitement.


Shout out to Lindsay-hope you feel better. Strep sucks!!

I Haven't Given Up!

I just don't have the time to keep track of two blogs. Or more. ;-)

Please come visit me at my "regular blog" that has plenty of vegan stuff on it, as well as what is actually going on in my life.


Hooray for Veganism-I'm loving it, well after my 30 days!

Dear Veganism

Dear Veganism,
Oh how I love you. Let me count the ways you make me happy...

1. I never have to worry about my food going bad if I forget to put it in the fridge. With no dairy products or meat, I don't have to refridgerate things all the time (which comes in handy for a picnic)
2. I am afforded a luxurious life of regular BMs. Ahhh, the regularity. It's ok to be jealous.
3. I have the opportunity to try out all kinds of new healthy recipes using ingredients I'd never imagined
4. I am able to spread the word (I am not a Vegonomicon thumper, don't worry) when people ask about the yummy food I've brought
5. I have experienced some weight loss, but my knee pain and massive appetite have not allowed it to stay as steady as I'd like. That seems to be a constant struggle for me-vegan or not
6. I find that my decisions about my diet have helped me to stay flexible as well. This may be a terrible thing for strict vegans to hear, but I have a rule...Vegetarian 100% of the time, and Vegan 98%. I haven't eaten cheese or had a glass of milk or an egg, but I have had food that had some egg white or milk in it...I find that flexibility to help me out in emergency situations, and also shows people that are interested in the lifestyle that you can deviate and still make healthy, animal-friendly choices
7. I'm discovering vegetables, spices and flavors I've never tried, and finally learned to love tomatoes, which is crazy for me, but the ones out of my garden were amazing!
8. I've met a lot of wonderful internet "friends" who share their recipes and experiences and provide me motivation with continuing the lifestyle

Ok, enough lovey dovey kissy veganism. It just makes me happy and I'm glad that I am doing it. And how the heck can I like tofu this much? Even I don't understand.

Recipe Thursday

Spinach Linguine w/Basil-Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

This was really good. It sort of reminded me of the yummy basil pasta that is in the Lean Cuisine...and yes, that is a compliment. The authors of the book Veganomicon said that I would find myself craving this, and they were right. I had some at lunch and I can't wait for dinner!

Ingredients

Pasta

1/2 pound spinach linguine

2 T olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced in half moons
4 cloves garlic
2 T white cooking wine, veggie broth, or water
1/2 t salt
several pinches course ground black pepper
1 recipe Basil-Cilantro Pesto
1 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced in half

Basil-Cilantro Pesto
2 Cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 Cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/2 Cup slivered or sliced almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/4 Cup olive oil

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes.

2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onion in the olive oil until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add the white wine, salt and pepper and cook for another minute or two. Lower heat to low.

3. When the linguine is ready, don't drain it. Use a pasta sppon to transfer it to the pan in batches. When you add on batch, add a bit of pesto too, and mix to coat the linguine. Put the rest of the pesto in and coat.

4. Add the artichoke hearts and toss to coat. Cook gently over low heat until the artichokes are heated through. Serve immediatly.

For the Pesto

Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and blend until pasty, scraping down the sides occasionally. Drizzle the olive oil in until the pesto is relatively smooth.

Notes

I actually used cashews for the pesto because I was out of almonds. It still tasted delicious, but I think the almonds would have been better.I was also out of linguine, spinach or otherwise, so I used angel hair pasta. Still awesome!!! This is so rich and creamy you will never know this is Vegan.

P.S. I don't think it's my fault all my pictures suck. Even though I read all the reviews in the whole wide world when I bought my camera (the Canon SD 11ooIS) I do NOT like it. Or I suck at taking pictures.

Cat Pictures for the Lot of Them!

I have been taking some pictures of the "kids" lately because they've just been so darned cute. Especially that darned Yukon. He really is my teddy bear. Speaking of him, he is scheduled to go to the Vet on Wednesday to get the "knot" on his face looked at. It may be a tooth abcess, but it may be a tumor, which would be horrible, but I need to talk myself off the ledge as he is 15 years old and has lead a great life. Sure hoping it's the tooth. Enjoy the pics-and if you don't like cats, I'm sorry...but come on, they are so cute!!

Happy Birthday to the Love of My Life

Today is Mircea's 26th birthday (spring chicken that he is). I wanted to take a moment to share my love for him, though he never checks my blog and probably won't see it.

• I love that we always laugh together about the stupid pictures of our "community areas" on every house we look at on the web. Like a picture of a twirly slide is going to make or break our decision.


• I love that you love our pets as much as I do.


• I love that you are always cool under pressure and help to calm my nerves with your peacefulness.


• I love that you think Call of Duty is the greatest game ever created-and don't mind that I sit next to you playing the Sims2 all afternoon.


• I love that we both think Picard and Data are fantastic Star Trek characters, and laugh at pretty much everything Data ever says.


• I love that you clean the litter boxes more than I do, even though you whine about it, but come on, you're better at it.


• I love that we both think the Coors Light/Coaches commercials are stupidly hilarious.


• I love that we are buying a house together and taking the next step in our future together.

I love you with all my heart and soul and hope that you have a wonderful birthday! Hugs and kisses from Yukie and the Girls too.

Crappy Blogger

That's me. Its been hard for me to think about anything but this house adventure so there really isn't much that I want to talk about, let alone anything else on my mind. We were supposed to find out today if it was ours, but we haven't found out yet. It is listed as "under contract" on the Multiple Listing Service, but we haven't heard yet if our contract has been ratified. At the very least this is over, either we got it, or we didn't, but I'm looking forward to finding out which way the cookie crumbled. It turns out the Realtor was trying to screw us over with that $5k "discount" so who knows what is going on, you know?

I made cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World for Mircea's birthday. They were really good and I'm currently on a sugar high. They were FAR from low fat though, so I will have to stay away from them. Mircea will take them to work tomorrow to share with his co-workers. And he told me he couldn't tell that they were vegan. I didn't take pictures because they weren't beautiful because I had none of the supplies I thought I had. I didn't even have my muffin pan, and just cooked the cupcakes in the pan liners...with nothing holding them up. They are sort of a weird shape, but pretty darned tasty. And the super fattening frosting-AWESOME!! My tummy hurts a little from all the sugar, but I'll live. And yes, I'll share the recipe...that is, when I have a picture because I'll definitely make them again.

We found a lump on Yukon's face today. It is sort of like the tumor that Squeaky had on her face, so we're pretty nervous. We're going to watch it tonight and tomorrow and if it doesn't go away (it might not be a tumor) I'll take him to the vet on Friday. My baby!!!