Smowmaggedon 2012 Update

We’re still without power (have been since Thursday morning). According to PSE, power should be restored either late this evening, late tomorrow evening . . . or late Wed evening. depending on whether we live in the ‘Renton area,’ ‘Kent area,’ or ‘East Kent area’. *sigh*

The Tanzy’s gave us shelter last night (mucho thanks!), we’re going to have to reassess and make plans for tonight. I’m going to continue to hope that it will be sooner rather than later. It’s not like we’re stuck inside — the roads are clear and we can easily get around. It’s just a bit boring — and very cold (50*) in the house. We need candles (a ‘to do’ for today).

No power means no phones, btw. So if you’ve been trying to call, that’s why we aren’t answering. John can get email on his phone, so feel free to write to him there.

Over all, we’re *FINE*. Threw away ~$50 worth of food, but the chest freezer in the garage is keeping things frozen. We have a gas stove, so we can cook pasta and make tea. The roads are clear, so we can purchase food in small quantitites to keep it fresh. Sasha’s been at her vacation home for a few days, allowing us to just have to worry about Kit & Roland. (That will change as they are going on a vacation on Tuesday, so we need to get her back Monday evening.)

It’s been a long blackout. Would we do anything differently? Yes. In retrospect, I’d have liked to have moved the gas grill into the garage — we could have more easily used it to cook oven-based things (indirect heat) which would have broadened our ability to use items from the freezer. I’d like to own a cat ‘house’ or two, so I could feel the kitties were sleeping warm. Otherwise, the only thing we are really missing is the ability to take hot showers. We have to travel for that.

I’ll update when we have news again.

quick update on me

My office moved last weekend, I was in charge, so it was a long couple of weeks for me. I took some time off this week to make it up. While I did, my new computer arrived. It’s FAST. And QUIET. Playing games is extra fun now. 🙂

On the ‘down’ side, I had a root canal on Thursday. My first.

(‘squick’ warning under the cut)

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Weight, Body Image, HAES

A good friend had dropped out of my life several years ago — something like five — and turned back up again a bit more than a month ago. In talking with her and catching her up on the events in my life, I mentioned that my current frustration is with my weight. More specifically, I am tired of looking like a blue meany, and frustrated by the fact that I am getting more exercise than I have since my 20s, eatting better, and am in better health than in the last decade. . . I remain apple shaped.

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Sad News/ Happy News — all in one

In yesterday’s mail came a bit of a surprise . . . a letter from Red Wheel Weiser informing me that the publishing rights to The Virtual Pagan will be reverting back to me as of December 31st, 2011.

Sad news: this, my first book, did not launch me into celebrity.

Good news: I can update it and publish it myself. I’ve wanted to do that for years now. I wonder how soon I could get Magickal Connections to revert back to me?

Two years and counting

Today I am cancer free for two years.

I’ve said this before and it continues to be true: I am, in many ways, healthier than I was in my 20s. (Mentally, for sure.) Although I look like a blue meanie and my cholesterol level is too high :-(, I am exercising regularly (being back at Muay Thai is a fabulous feeling!) and eating much better than I was.

 Most importantly: I’m smoke free for two years as well.

In our last full moon ritual, I reminded us all that the body is constantly renewing and recreating itself , based on nothing more than the mind. Changing one’s image, manifesting the healthy body that is our birthright, that is a magickal task for a lifetime. At least, it is for me.

So, yay me.  *clink* Here’s to three more years.

A Pre-Travel Torta

(This was a draft of a post I never finished back in February 2010. I *think* its a reference to our Ashland trip)

We were going to have a lot of left-overs when we left, and I hated to let them become science experiments. So I decided to make a torta, which is a kind of baked dough-enclosed sandwich, from the same people who gave us the calzone.

It took a lot longer than I expected. (I didn’t read the recipe through before starting.)

The dough took a day (make dough, kill the processor, finish making by hand, let sit overnight). The fillings needed to be recombined and added to other ingredients, then cooled. I took spinach, sauteed it with onion and garlic, and added roasted artichoke hearts. To ricotta cheese, I added 2 eggs. The smoked ham I simply chopped fine, Provolone cheese rounded it out.

I layered the ingredients with half of the the egg mixture first, then half the provolone, half the spinach and all of the ham, then the remaining spinach, cheese, ending with the egg mixture. Cover with more dough, seal. Let sit in ‘fridge overnight. Bake at 375. Cool to eat.

This produces a dense, layered, pastry-enclosed and very tasty meal. It’s pretty rich, and wanted a salad or fruit to accompany it. But we made it into a nice meal in our room the first night we traveled.