Creative Gas Mileage

I was filling up my van this afternoon and thinking about what kind of mileage a mini van gets.  Definitely not as good as Ronnie's Accord.  But I love my van and I don't want to give it up.  I may cringe when I fill it up, but I still love to drive it.  I could do the regular math involving miles driven and gallons used.  That would be easy. 

Or, I could use some creative math.  My van has a nifty feature with the clock.  I can see how long the van has been on since I last reset the counter.  I reset each time I fill up the van.  I don't want to tell you how many miles I got to the last tank, but I can tell you I got 8 hours and 25 minutes to the last 14 gallons.  When I look at it that way, I get pretty good mileage.

Grilled Veggies

With summer grilling season in full swing, I thought I would toss this idea out there: grill your veggies.  I get odd looks when I mention we do this.  Grilled asparagus, grilled Brussels sprouts, grilled squash, it's all good.  And as an added bonus Paige will eat any vegetable we grill.  Even the ones she won't normally touch, put it on the grill and suddenly it's her favorite.

This is actually a very easy and healthy way to cook your veggies.  For most veggies, just a quick prep is all you need.  Asparagus is probably the easiest: cut the bottom from the asparagus, toss in a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put on the grill for a few minutes, turn, leave for a couple more minutes and remove.  Asparagus is done.  Squash or eggplant requires a bit more cutting.  Cut them the way you would like: either long ways or across, which ever you prefer.  Once again the olive oil and salt and pepper, then grill just like the asparagus.  Brussels sprouts takes a bit more work.  First, you blanch them on the stove for about 5 minutes.  Remove from water and cut each one in half.  Add olive oil and salt and pepper.  Put them on the grill for several minutes, then flip.

Grilling your veggies is quick and easy.  As long as the grill is on, you may as well add something else to it, right?  Give it a try.  Maybe you can get your kids to try something they normally won't eat.

Day 3 No Voice

Yes, I still don't have a voice.  When I got off work yesterday it was just as bad as it was when I woke up Monday morning.  Only now it was also hard to breath and swallow.  It was time for a trip to the Doc in a Box, or Urgent Care, whichever you want to call it.  Some of my symptoms could be pointing towards strep.  I certainly didn't want to give it to Paige or Ronnie, so off to the doc I went.

I got a very thorough check up, and was told it probably wasn't strep.  I did ask to be tested just in case.  Have you been tested for strep lately?  Very uncomfortable!  Yuck!  The test came back negative luckily.  As the doctor and nurse practitioner were waiting for the results they looked at the Buffett concert pictures on my phone.  They both agreed that the concert was worth it.  The diagnosis? Laryngitis.

I was given a steroid to take now.  I give that a couple of days and if my voice isn't better I get to start an antibiotic.  I'm also not supposed to talk.  I'm supposed to rest my voice as much as I can.  That's OK at work, to a point.  I've had help in taking and placing phone calls to clients.  I email and text message my coworkers a lot to avoid talking.  At home is another story.  Do you know how hard it is to not answer your 4 year old?  Paige talks a mile a minute and requires an answer.  She knows I've lost my voice, but doesn't quite understand what that means.  When she talks to me, she wants an answer.  And while it's OK to text Kelli on the other side of the office, I fell odd texting my husband on the other end of the couch.

I'm doing my best and my voice is slowly getting better.  I will say though, that concert was worth the laryngitis no matter how long it lasts.  It was wonderful.  Being there watching Jimmy Buffett play for 2 1/2 hours with friends around me was a great time.  I would go back again right now and yell some more. What's a few more days of laryngitis?

Embrace your Inner Geek

Today is Embrace Your Geekiness Day.  There's still some time.  You don't have to actually embrace the Geek inside today.  Let's take baby steps.  Let's start by admitting you like something Geeky.  It's OK, you're at home.  No one has to see you.

Stop and think about it for a few minutes.  It may be something more mainstream like Star Wars or Star Trek.  It could be something more recent like TORCHWOOD or Eureka.  Well, TORCHWOOD is probably a bit out there for you.  I understand.  BBC America does like to push the envelope.  But they are considering an American version for Fox, so maybe it will appeal to more audiences over here at that point.  You could prefer books like those by Orson Scott Card, Stephen King, or Greg Bear.

It could be that you aren't into any of these things.  That does make me wonder why you even read my blog, but that's OK.  We don't all have the same tastes.  Since today is about Geekiness, maybe you could try one of these things.  A trip to the library would get you Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.  Flipping through the TV would probably get you one of the movies or shows.  Try something new.  You may thank me.

I mentioned Card a couple of times to a friend.  And then someone else mentioned him to her.  She finished Ender's Game and emailed me how good it was.  I shipped out the rest of the series to her.  In a book exchange of sorts, she sent me The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  I devoured the book and can't wait for the sequel.  It's a book I never would have found on my own, so I'm glad she sent it to me.  Trying something new has found me a new author that I truly enjoy.  You don't have to go far out on a limb, maybe just push your comfort zone a bit.  Give it a try and let me know what you find.

It finally happened

The day people probably said my husband would enjoy: I have no voice.  It's the result of yelling, screaming, and singing for 2 1/2 hours Sunday night along with Jimmy Buffett.  Monday was a day of recovery for me.  I took the day off from work and literally lounged around the house.  I only got out of my jammies long enough to take Paige to daycare and then pick her back up.  I have absolutely no energy.

Thanks to Dr. Google I know what I have is hoarseness not actual laryngitis.  That's good, it means I don't need to go to my doctor or get antibiotics.  The old saying of gargle with salt water?  Dr. Google says that won't really work.  Dr. Google says to rest my voice.  After a day of resting it today, it's still no better.  All phone conversations were held by text message.  I haven't quite resorted to pen and paper to hold a conversation yet.  Of course after Paige got home that went away.  There's nothing like a 4 year old to get you chatting, whether you want to or not.

I also spent my day hydrating.  I've been lethargic all day.  Even after drinking as much water in one day I usually drink in two, I still don't have energy.  I'm hoping it comes back to me very soon.  I have to go back to work tomorrow.  I don't see me taking very many phone calls.  Hopefully things will be back to normal soon.  For now, I'm not sure if Ronnie is enjoying this or not.  He seems a bit frustrated by my lack of being able to actually speak.

Buffett was Awesome!

I could spend a lot more time trying to figure out a more clever title.  Or, I could go with the simple truth. All of my highs and lows of getting and not getting tickets became obsolete Saturday afternoon.  A good friend, Tim, called with the best news.  Tim had scored 4 VIP wristbands to the concert.  Tim is a member of the National Guard who was activated on May 1st.  He's been down on the beaches working to clean up the oil since the beginning.  I'm not sure who's idea it was to give the National Guard guys the VIP tickets, but I can tell you they enjoyed themselves.

We took a little road trip down to Gulf Shores with a van full of Parrotheads.  Deciding what to wear was the hard part.  Something comfy, and cool, but still provide coverage so you don't get too much sun.  I finally decided on my average beach attire: sarong, tank top, and flip flops.  Ronnie went with a Red Shirt from Think Geek and shorts.  Red was a good choice.  With his height, 6'3, and a red shirt, he was easy to spot.  Pig tails for me completed the outfit.  Being the OCD person I am, I packed extra sunblock, emergency rain ponchos (predicted 70% chance of rain), and chap stick.  I was ready for the day.

Once we got to the concert we found out what VIP wristbands meant:  We had a special barricaded off section close to the stage.  We were about 40 years from Jimmy Buffett.

That was a wonderful thing.  We were very close to the stage, with lots of room around us.  Not a lot of people were in the VIP section so there was room to dance and move without bumping into other people. We were in a larger group of other National Guard members and their guests.  But, the very best part of VIP wristbands?

That building you see?  That's an actual bathroom.  With stall doors, sinks, everything you would expect in a bathroom.  Yes, no port a potty here.  We got the real thing.  Is it sad that a bathroom at a beach concert made us all so happy?  Ronnie and I had a great time.

The concert lasted the full hour and a half broadcast live on CMT.  Jimmy Buffett then took a 5 to 10 minute break and came back out.  He played for another 45 minutes to an hour just for the 35,000 fans on the beach.  Some people have complained on Facebook about there not being other big name acts like Kenny Chesney or The Zac Brown Band.  These people have said they were disappointed in the concert.  I can say as a Parrothead, I was going to see Jimmy.  He did have some big names: Allen Touissant and Mac McAnally and Jesse Winchester may not be names that were recognized by the average concert goer.  But, they were recognized by those who like jazz (Allen Touissant is a New Orleans musician), country fans ("Down the Road" was a hit duet by Chesney and McAnally), and we all knew the songs written by Jesse Winchester, even if we didn't know his name before.  I can say that I was not disappointed in the least.

I yelled and screamed so much that I have no voice at all today.  Paige heard me talk and asked what happened.  I try to explain it to her.  She just looked at me and said, "Silly Mommy.  Next time remember to put your voice back in your mouth!"

Reusable grocery bags

I've used reusable grocery bags off and on for years.  I just hate that collection of plastic bags I would get.  Now, I don't claim to be completely green around here.  I do make an effort to be more green though.  I have a stack of reusable bags that I love to use.  I also have a sleeve for plastic bags.  I use them in my bathroom trash can.  Perfect size and free is the right price.

When my sleeve of plastic bags gets low, I stop using my grocery bags and get the plastic bags until I fill it back up.  Once it's full, it's back to my own grocery bags.  One of the biggest downsides to bringing my own bags is the cashiers.  Almost none of them know how to bag groceries.  I grew up in Granny and Paw Paw's grocery store.  I can bag some groceries.  My eggs are never crushed, my bread isn't smooshed, and everything fits nicely.  Most of the time when  I tell cashiers I have my own bags they roll their eyes.  The ones that do that I won't offer to bag myself.  The ones who cheerfully say it's great, I'll offer.  I'm a bit sadistic that way.  Truth is, I prefer to bag my own.  I can get more groceries in a bag than they can and all without ruining anything.

I have a new favorite bag.  I got this from my favorite website, Think Geek.  By purchasing other items from them I had built up Geek Points.  I traded in my points for this super cool shopping bag.  It's been amazing.  It clips onto my purse strap, so I always have it with me.  Yesterday after Tae Kwon Do practice we decided to stop for groceries on the spur of the moment.  Unclip my +10 Bag of Groceries, and loaded it up.  By the time we were done it held: bag of carrots, coffee, baking powder, large bag of all purpose flour, eggs, chicken nuggets and French fries.  And there was still plenty of room to spare.  The only thing I purchased not in the bag was the gallon of milk.  It already has a handle, so no need to put it in a bag.

I will admit, since I clipped this on my purse, I've gotten lots of compliments.  Also, it's a very versatile bag.  We're getting ready to head down to Gulf Shores for the Jimmy Buffett concert.  This bag packs up so small I've got it in my flight bag.  You never know when you'll need an extra bag for the stuff you pick up at a beach concert.  This one is super small so it's very easy to take with us. That left enough room in the flight bag I'll carry for sunblock, keys, ID, and an extra sarong.