Celestial Dining

I had a sumptuous lunch with a heavenly pair today. Lunch with Pax Romano and Princess Angel Child was a wonderful time. The fare was beyond compare, and the company was exceptional!

Princess Angel is a credit to Clan Romano. She is lovely and smart, and it seems likely that she will follow in Pax's footsteps as a maven of pop culture.

Thanks, Pax and Princess, for a lovely dejeuner.

A Fox in His Pocket

And I'm not talking about the George Clooney kind of fox.

CNN is reporting that President Bush has offered the post of White House press secretary to Tony Snow, a Fox Network anchor. Mr. Snow is expected to accept.

I know there was never any doubt that Fox is in bed with the White House gang (and vice versa), but this puts the final evidentiary nail in the coffin. It also shows us that Mr. Bush does not have any plans to change direction, despite the fact that US Americans are clamoring for an alteration in course.

Mr. Snow may be well qualified for the job, but the message sent by selecting a Fox anchor is equivalent to the thumbing of a nose at the president's critics. Mr. Bush, your critics are not just your political nemeses anymore, they are the majority of the American public. A little respect for us would be appreciated.

Earth Day

I didn't realize that today is Earth Day until I opened the Google search page and saw the graphic:

I recently posted about the expected effects of climate change here in the Northeastern US. I watched a Nova segment this week called Dimming the Sun. You can read a synopsis of this program here. Essentially, global dimming is a backhanded effect of pollution. Smog (including vapor trails from air traffic) creates a mirror effect, causing the earth to reflect sunlight back into space. This has actually slowed the impact of global warming.

Because smog contributes greatly to diseases of the lungs, governments worldwide have been taking steps to reduce it, and they are having a good deal of success. Smog reduction could lead to the acceleration of global warming. Some scientists say that we are close to a point of no return. We could reach that point within 5 - 10 years, with significant changes to coastlines, living conditions, and food supplies by mid-century. This theory is relatively new and, of course, controversial. The Nova program about how scientists developed the theory is compelling, however, and the information in it should be given consideration.

The US government has been denying the significance of climate change since the advent of the Bush Administration, beginning with the failure to participate in the Kyoto Protocol. The government's Earth Day website celebrates our purported successes and tries to paint the administration in a positive light. This is laughable, and it is an embarrassment to our nation.

The earthday.net website I linked to at the beginning of this post provides information about things we can do right now to make a difference, without waiting for the government to act. It is clear that US citizens will have to take steps to stabilize the environment without the government's assistance or leadership. We can't afford to wait until Bush leaves office to act. It might be too late.

Morning

Good Morning, all.

Took one of the hounds out about half an hour ago. It was just barely daylight, still half dark out there. A robin flew over to the the dry birdbath and sat there pointedly, as if reminding me that I was failing in my duty. I obliged him, and the birds have water for this morning.

There'll be no need to fill the birdbath this weekend, by all accounts. Heavy rains are expected in these parts, starting later this afternoon.

And me, I feel kind of lousy, and not so wide awake. I'm headed back to bed. Ahhh, the luxury of vacation.

Hope everyone has a happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend!

Looking for a Room

I'm looking for an image of a room to use in my blog header. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery? Links appreciated. Maybe I should turn this into a contest. Hmmm...

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone! I only had a few minutes to throw this color scheme together, since blogger kept giving me a hard time about uploading images, but you get the idea.

Enjoy this beautiful day, and don't eat too much chocolate or too many hard boiled eggs.

A Trip to India

I thought about Virginia Gal as I made a quick trip to India today. Virginia Gal would be the most qualified person I know to tell you that a quick trip to India from the US could only be possible in the sense of virtual travel, or as a flight of fancy. I took the latter, inspired by, what else, FOOD! At the grocery store late last night, I picked up a couple of Tasty Bite dishes. I couldn't wait to try them, so I tucked into the Jaipur Vegetables for lunch today.

Mr. Merci joined me in the taste test. This dish gets 2 thumbs up in the Beaucoup household. Jaipur Vegetables is a wonderful vegetarian concoction with the consistency of a stew. It's just spicy enough to tingle your tongue without the need call the firehall. It would be great over rice, which I must avoid, so it was consumed a la carte. As with all spicy dishes, a bit of vanilla ice cream as an afterthought would have been quite nice. Sadly, ice cream is on my forbidden list, as well. No matter, Jaipur vegetables is truly delicious.

I can't vouch for it's authenticity, and I certainly cannot compare it to other Indian dishes, since my experience of the cuisine is limited (something I plan to rectify soon), but it stood on its own as quite a Tasty Bite.

Favorite New Show

I'm really getting hooked on Big Love, the new show about polygamy. It's set, where else? in Utah. I've watched it since the first episode. It's kind of tough to shift gears for another HBO drama right after The Sopranos on Sunday night, but I'm managing. Finally found a couple of folks at work who are watching it, too, so now I can chat about it and mull it over with friends (hi, Joey B.).

Looking forward to work today. I have a lot to accomplish, and when it's over: VACATION! 10 beautiful days off in a row. Not going anywhere special, and that's just fine with me! I need the R&R.

Hope those of you who celebrate Easter have a lovely one. Those of you who do not, hope you enjoy the extra day off (if you've got one). If not, then hope you get something special out of the weekend - good weather, a nice dinner out or a new pair of shoes. Nothing like new shoes to make you feel great.

OK, I'm getting punchy. Gotta go to bed. I stayed up late waiting for some clothes to finish in the dryer. Forgot to put them in right after the wash cycle was done. I'm such a nimwit sometimes. I'll be very tired all day tomorrow. But that's OK, 'cuz when tomorrow's over, I'm on vacation!!!!

We Need a Little Christmas (shopping)...Already???

I'm watching CNN this morning, and I just saw the first Christmas ad of 2006. Apparently, QVC felt that it was necessary to remind us of the benefits of shopping early for Christmas gifts, and they want us to mark our calendars so that we won't miss their big Christmas shopping bonanza in November.

I hope it was just an error, but I'm skeptical. Bad enough that we have Christmas ads before Halloween, but before EASTER??? What's a Bunny gotta do to stay employed under all of this holiday pressure?

To Miss Magnolia

In a comment on my post below, Miss Magnolia Thunderpussy offered the following:

"I've always wanted to take dear Pax for an outing at the bitch but we've abandoned the idea, I can't walk in the sand, in heels and the wheels of Pax's chair would get tangled in all the seaweed."

Here is my reply:

Miss Magnolia-

It's hard enough to walk in the sand, let alone to push one of those rolling chairs through it. Perhaps a trip to the Wildwood Boardwalk would be a better alternative. You could ride up and down the boards in the luxury of the tram. No need to fear for the safety of the pedestrians, since they play the recorded message, "Watch the tram car please, watch the tram car please." In fact, they play it over and over and over, ad infinitum.

http://www.limericky.com/funtram.html

The Atlantic City boardwalk offers rolling chairs pushed (for a fee) by entrepreneurial types. The rolling chairs give you more freedom to choose your destination, and they offer a bit more privacy.

Failing both of the above, Mr. M and I could power a surrey on the Ocean City Boardwalk that would enable the two of you to tour in style. The model at the top of the page has enough room for crinolines and oxygen tanks, but the model pictured here is available if you desire the romance of the pretty little surrey with the fringe on top.

So you see, the Jersey Shore can accomodate ladies and gentleman of leisure. There is no need ever to dip so much as a little toe into the sand or the ocean.

Sea Isle Sunday

Our plans to stay home and relax yesterday were thwarted by the gorgeous weather. We just had to get out and enjoy the day. There are only so many spectacular days in any given year, and we couldn't let the perfect weather go to waste. We decided to take a spin into Sea Isle City for a walk on the boards. Great choice! And it came on the heels of a trip to the boards in Ocean City on Saturday.

We love this time of year because the height of the tourism season hasn't struck. We can find parking spots on the barrier islands, and we can actually walk down the boardwalk (as opposed to being jostled down the boards by the crowds).

It's always a bit cooler on the islands, of course, which is the reason they became such popular tourist spots in the days before air conditioning. The air seemed chilly when we first got out of the car, but we warmed up quickly as we began to walk in the sun. We didn't think it was warm enough for shorts and tees and bare feet, but there were a few people who disagreed with us. I found my warm up suit to be just about the right thing to wear.

Here are some pics of SIC:

Last Fall I wrote a post called, "Sidewinders and Tombstones." In the post I described the benches that line the Sea Isle City boardwalk as tombstones, their epitaphs serving as eerie captions to a dark, deserted, Autumn night. I didn't have any photos to post at the time, so here are a few:

Here's one last scenic pic as a closing thought:

Strange Events

It's been a strange couple of days here at the Room. It all started on Thurdsay night, when the Old Hounds refused to settle down and go to sleep. If you know anything about old dogs, you know that they sleep about 99% of the time. This was an odd night.

After restlessly roaming the house for about an hour, starting at midnight, the young hound (age 14) started to growl in a low tone. The old hound (age 15) soon joined the chorus, which quickly evolved into a theatrical production of the most gosh-awful howling you can imagine. I'm always amazed by the ability of these small creatures to bellow out such big, deep sounds.

We realized that this would be an entirely sleepless night if we did not take action. Were the neighbor's cats creeping around the foundation of our home again in their endless search for voles and moles? Was a possum climbing the gutters? Was a skunk family trying to take up residence under the deck ? (I shudder at the thought of skunks under the deck.)

We armed ourselves with the most powerful flashlight we have. A candle might have given off more light, but at least the flashlight would stay lit in the breeze. We left by the front door, locking it behind us so that nobody could gain entry to our home while we were creeping around the property.

We slowly and quietly made our way around the house. As we rounded the corner by the family room, we heard a rustling noise in the woods. Could it be a deer? We haven't seen any since hunting season last fall, but they could be making a comeback. But a deer in the woods should not be enough to disturb the dogs to this extent. Was the Jersey Devil taking up residence? We trained the flashlight beam on the woods, but it was not strong enough to penetrate past brushy the outer edge. The rustling sound picked up in pace, and the creature could be heard moving off toward our neighbor's home.

We finished the circuit of the property, and, finding nothing else amiss, we went back inside. The dogs were unsettled for another half hour or so, but they finally went to sleep. We gladly followed suit.

Fast forward to last night (Friday). The same cycle of events began. This time, we were prepared with a much more powerful flashlight - something much more like a search light. Once again, we crept around the house, and we heard noise in the woods directly behind our home. As we shone the light into the murky woodland, the noise once again intensified. We were shocked and speechless (well, nearly speechless; I won't repeat our actual comments here) to see the back of a retreating black bear!

Black bear have been sighted in a state park not far from here, and one was seen (and captured) in a neighborhood one county over. I don't know that any have actually been seen here before last night, but I guess it was inevitable.

So here we are, stunned in bearland, making plans to secure our trash and add extra lighting to the exterior of our home, in hopes of discouraging bears from foraging too close to the house. Our neighbors seem to have had a similar experience. For the account of their bear sighting, complete with some amazing photos, check out their site.

Room With A View, Fast Forward

The lead story at cnn.com earlier today was about the acceleration of climate change. It seems that we may be approaching, or may have passed, a tipping point. A tipping point is something like the straw that broke the camel's back. Once you hit it, a cascade of rapid changes begins, and the trend is difficult to reverse.

If our climate continues to warm at the current rate, then many of the world's coastlines as we know them today will be under water by the year 2100. Sea levels could rise by 2-3 feet. The map below (taken from cnn.com) shows the projected impact on the region where I live. My house is situated firmly in the red zone.

In fact, my home is situated far enough into the red zone to make me wonder if it will take a full century for me to feel the effects of global climate change. After all, it cannot be expected that the seas will suddenly rise by 24" exactly 100 years from today. A gradual rise is the more likely scenario, and it has already begun. The polar ice caps and mountain glaciers of the world are disappearing at an alarming rate. As the icefields (which reflect sunlight out of the atmosphere) dissipate, we absorb even more solar energy, increasing the rate of warming. The oceans absorb heat. As the oceans grow in size due to the melting icefields, we absorb more heat. Quite a cascade.

So I wonder, what will I see in my lifetime? If I stay in New Jersey, in my present home, what will I see through my back window? Whenever we have heavy rain, or a coastal storm threatens, those of us who live on the southern New Jersey mainland (the oceanside beaches of South Jersey are located on barrier islands, not on the mainland) joke about having beachfront property when "the big one" hits. Is there more truth in that old joke than we want to acknowledge? Will the woodland that is my back yard die off as salt water seeps upward, killing first the easternmost trees, and gradually creeping up on my home?

I've heard two different versions of the ultimate impact of global warming on climate in the future. Both seem to agree that the temperatures we experience will be extreme. It will either be brutally hot or the Gulf Stream will shift, ushering in an ice age. Robert Frost offers the best summary of my feelings about the possibilities:

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

This 'n' That

I've had to be out of the office unexpectedly several times this week. When someone who might fall under our agency's services is being referred for nursing care, I have to go out to see whether or not our services might offer a better alternative. There is a very limited window of time given by the regulations to accomplish this, and it was just an oddity that so many had to be completed in one single week. Either that, or the vernal equinox is at fault.

In any event, I now have a nice backlog of work waiting for me tomorrow, and several phone calls to return. Thankfully, the Mommanator went with me on these forays into the American healthcare system. Thank you, Nursie! There was one nice bonus today: I ended the day at a visit about 7 miles from home. I had a nice short drive at the end of the day, and I got home much earlier than usual.

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I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday. I desperately need my weekend break, and I'm taking Monday off. I have an early appointment on Monday, then the rest of the day is mine, all mine! Maybe I'll spend the afternoon in Cape May (I can hear the Pax Family Singers breaking out in song as I type (On the way to Cape May, I fell in love with you... )

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I'm mulling an idea for a post suggested by Pax. The idea has a sci-fi/Frankenstein element to it. Maybe early next week. We'll see if I'm up to developing it...

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When you have your health, you have everything...
That was one of my Mother-In-Law's favorite sayings. She was absolutely right. If you're poor, but healthy, you can work hard and improve your lot. If you're rich, but sickly, the money alone won't make you feel better. All of the money in the world can't cure some ailments. If you're poor and sick, you're in trouble!

If you feel well, you can get over most of the things life throws at you.

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I finished a book this week called The Queen of the Big Time, by Adriana Trigiani. It's a coming of age story about an Italian-American girl. The story begins when she is age 14, in 1924, and it follows the rest of her life. I enjoyed the book, though the end felt a bit rushed and a few of the elements introduced later in the story were a bit hackneyed.

I especially appreciated the descriptions of the hard-working immigrants and the life they built in a small Pennsylvania town. It was refreshing that the book never once mentioned the Mafia or organized crime.

Signs of Spring

A cluster of daffodils sprouted boldly in my garden a few weeks ago during a warm spell. They've paused, but not retreated, with the return of the cold weather. The tightly rounded ends of the flower stalks are in the first stages of pregnancy, preparing to bloom when the warmth returns.

One of my tulip bulbs has sent up a single broad leaf, only half emerged from the ground. It looks for all the world like a green rabbit's ear, cocked and listening for the robins and spring peepers to say it's OK to come out and play.

Last week I heard a woodpecker pounding on a dead tree in the woods behind my house, defining his turf and warning all of the other woodpeckers to stay away. The robins (who don't really leave in the winter, they just flock up and retreat quietly into the woods) are stirring and they're starting to pair off. Soon we'll see the first nests being built, and we'll hear them fending off the jays as they tend their eggs.

The spring peepers were calling one balmy evening last week, possibly the very first sound of spring each year. I heard them again on the way to work the next day. They're quiet tonight, the first official night of spring per the calendar - did I hear someone mention snow? Can't last long though, can it? Not with the days getting longer and longer. They'll be back soon (the peepers). Can't keep a good tree frog down.

As much as I like winter (I'm strange that way), I look forward to spring, to the greening up of the world. I love the luscious, wet verdure of the mosses and the spring grasses, so thick and rich and soft to the touch. I feel like I wake up with the flowerbeds and stretch my limbs with the trees. I'm Snow White awakening from a long foggy trance, or Proserpina emerging from the dark realm.

One spring several years ago, there was a woodpecker who took it upon himself to pound out a tattoo like a gatling gun on the metal gutter by our bedroom each morning - bright and early, of course. Nature's little alarm clock. He really was just a few feet from my bed, with nothing but a flimsy tract-home wall between us. He'd take off as soon as I opened the window, but he always came back the next day. Can't wait to see who sets up shop in my yard this spring. I think they're already hanging out their signs.

Cover Story

It's been more than a week since my last post. Here are some possible explanations for my absence. Choose your favorite, or come up with a new one for me!

• My husband and I flew off to Ireland to for St. Pat's. We stayed at one of our favorite haunts, Ashford Castle, which is the spot where we spent our 10th anniversary.

• We've been too busy preparing the hounds for an upcoming AKC show to spend much time on the net.
• We won the lottery and had to take time off to handle all of the legalities involved.
• We had an unexpected offer to buy the house (which was not on the market), and it was too good to refuse. We've been tied up with the details, and have had to start looking for a new home.
• My hard drive crashed.
• I've been working late on projects at work.
• Our cable service (including broadband) has been down for 5 days. I'm not happy with my ISP.
• Hangovers from too many green drinks.
• My sister got engaged and we've been planning her wedding.
• My husband has had the flu and I've had a sinus infection.
• Heavy winds along the coast felled one of the tall pine trees in our yard, and it landed on the house. Fortunately, no humans or hounds were harmed. There is a big blue tarp over the new family room as I speak, but the repairs should be completed this week.
• We've been helping Mom to prepare to move into our home.
• I've been working on the final draft of my first novel, due to be released this summer.

5 Weird Things

I was tagged by Virginia Gal to do the 5 Weird Things Meme. So here goes, 5 weird things about me:

ONE: I lived in the same house for the first 28 years of my life (excluding college dorms and an on-campus apartment). Since the age of 28 (no, I won’t say how long ago that was), I’ve moved 6 times.

TWO: I used to stay up late on weeknights to watch 2 Stupid Dogs.

THREE: My first car was a Plymouth Cricket. Hey, it was free. It also broke down the first time I tried to drive it more than 5 miles. I didn’t keep it very long. The Cricket was manufactured in the UK, where it was sold as the Hillman Avenger. For those of you who like Britcoms, the car rusting in Onslow’s driveway (his dog lives in it) in Keeping Up Appearances is a Hillman Avenger.

FOUR: I once jumped 25 feet from a rock into the Susquehanna River. I was the coward in the group; everyone else jumped (or dove) from, “Old 50 Foot.” This was a significant event for me because I am TERRIFIED of heights. It was also a near death experience because the current was strong and I had a very hard time climbing back onto the slippery rocks of the island. A friend helped, saving my life. OK, I exaggerated. But not by much.

FIVE: I hate the feel of most synthetic fabrics, and I especially hate nylon jackets (the fabric used for years in windbreakers and in those “parachute fabric” warm up suits). The noise they make is like nails on a blackboard to me, and the way they feel makes my skin crawl. I couldn’t stand to wear them for many years. I can tolerate them now, but I still don’t like them.

So that's it, 5 Weird Things. I won't tag anyone, do it if you wanna.

I <3 Saturday

Saturday, the perfect day. A day off, insulated by yet another day off to come. For these wonderful weekend hours, they can't get me. No, I'm not paranoid, just beleaguered and besieged.

I spent my Saturday engaged in one of my favorite activities. Actually, two of my favorite activities. Shopping and dining out. We went to Target and to Borders. We managed to spend a small fortune at my beloved Target, but the purchases at Borders were made with a gift card. I still have two dollars and change left on the card to spend. Excellent!

I bought a book (nothing special, just chick lit), and we picked up a Chopin CD. Our interest in Chopin was piqued by watching a movie about him last week. The film was a woefully inaccurate depiction of Chopin's life, but we didn't know that until we Googled him later (though I had my suspicions).

We had a late lunch at The Olive Garden. Yes, I like the place. It beats the food court at the mall, and you can actually have a libation with your meal. I had a nice berry sangria, just perfect for mid-afternoon: tasty but not strong. From the look of things, we're not alone in our opinion. The place is always busy, and we had to wait (just briefly) for a table.

Today's theme turned out to be liquid refreshment. We bought a replacement for our one-cup coffee maker. This time, we got the Senseo. I picked one up for my mom a year or so ago, and I really like it. The blue model now sits proudly on my counter, its first few cups having already been produced and consumed. It brews one or two cups of coffee right into the mug, with a nice crema on top. Wish the red model had been available, but, oh well.

We made one last stop to pick up some beer for the house. Sangria, coffee and beer: a perfect Saturday.

Odds 'n' Ends

Saw this over at Maidink's blog and had to check it out:

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

35% Yankee

10% Dixie

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

Of course, this doesn't ask about a few definitive words, like water (pronounced "wooder" in the Philly/South Jersey area), or sub vs. hoagie (I grew up saying hoagie, and sub really sounded alien to me. Sadly, sub is the word I use now - blame the move to the shore area and the influence of the husband). I know there are many more words that are important to this region, but it's late, and I can't think of them right now. Help me out here, folks, please! Pax, this is one of your specialties, so gimme a list, OK?

Just thought of another regionalism: down the shore. South Jerseyans and Southeastern Pennsylvanians go down the shore for their vacations. Contrary to common belief, however, people already at the shore do sometimes say that they are going to the beach. Example: "Last week we went down the shore for our vacation. We rented a place on Asbury in OC. It rained on Tuesday, so we didn't go to the beach or boards. We slept in, then went to Charlie's in Somers Point for lunch."

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If you haven't already visited Virginia Gal's blog, Gypsy Thoughts, check it out. Her series of posts called, "View from the 23rd Row," is an excellent resource for travelers. It's worth searching her blog for back issues of the series.

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Pax's Homemade Meme is circling the world at warp speed. Congrats, Pax, on achieving international renown!

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This might just possibly be the longest week at work ever on record. It feels like it, anyway. Will the weekend ever get here? Stay tuned for updates.

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I'm convinced that I have a barometer in my brain. I feel all of the high and low pressure systems that move through the area. And oh, those lows! Yesterday was pretty good, as was today, til a few hours ago. I can confirm the change in the weather that is expected to bring precipitation our way today.

'Night all!

Domesticity

Just taking a quick break between grocery shopping and making dinner. Tonight's menu:

Salad Course

Salad of Baby Red and Green Romaine

Main Course

German-Style Chicken

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Organic Edamame

Hot Dinner Rolls

Dessert

Fruited Yogurt Brulee

Choice of Beverage

The recipes for the above menu were taken from my Better Homes and Gardens New Dieter's Cookbook. They are tasty and healthy, a real bonus. And the red cabbage is a cheat: straight out of a jar.

Preparation for tomorrow's dining experience will begin this evening, as well. Crockpot pot roast will be the house special. Side dishes to be determined; probably butternut squash and Brussels sprouts.

This evening will be all about laundry, since I was lazy during the day today, and didn't get it started. Perhaps Mr. M. will take care of most of the dinner clean-up.

With all of this domestic bliss going on around here, I think it's time to plan something to look forward to in the near future. We have a vacation coming up in April, but we aren't planning to go away. We're thinking about a bigger trip in the fall, but we're just not sure how we feel about traveling right now. Our oldest dog will be 16 in June. She didn't do so well when we went to Alaska in September of 2004, and I'm afraid to leave her for very long. Perhaps we'll plan a couple of short trips as bookends around a few days at home. Or even just one short, luxurious trip. Oh, the possibilities!