In transition

If you are looking for something heartwarming, take a quick peek here.
The Nashville Knucklehead took some time to reflect on his daughter.

My oldest is headstrong, impatient, determined, and fiercely independent. I simply have no idea where he might have inherited these traits. We have had a terrible week, locked in a battle of wills. Yesterday, we spent the morning at Givhans-Ferry State Park.

On the way back to the car, he asked to hold my hand. He’ll be three next Sunday and that was the first time he has asked to hold my hand. He’s grabbed my friends’ hands, his friends’, random strangers’, and even his dad’s hand, but he’d never asked for mine.

It was such a nice change from the, “Go away, Mama,” I’d heard all week.

So, I was perusing Shauna’s review of the FAO Schwartz Toy Catalog, having fun.

I saw the Lego life-sized Batman and the part that killed me was not the $27,000 price tag, but the $6.00 fee for wrapping.

They say life changes when you have children. It doesn’t and it does. I still look forward to having fun, but my idea of fun has certainly changed. Last night I made a batch of caramel popcorn and settled in for some blog surfing. The baby was in bed and Aidan and Tim were watching the Wallace and Gromit movie.

Thanks to whatever is blooming I had taken some off-brand-benadryl early in the evening. I couldn’t even finish my popcorn. I kissed my son goodnight. He made some protest about not being tired and I had to explain that he wasn’t going to bed, I was. Puzzled but mollified he went back to the movie.

The best part? I got the side of the bed I like. See, a certain spouse just doesn’t understand that the side is still mine, even though we switched the room around. I have tried to explain that the side of the bed is the important part, not the proximity to the door. He just doesn’t get it.

Ten hours of mostly uninterrupted sleep is a beautiful thing.

Kat Coble wrote a fantastic post,Jesus Compounded Daily. It was sparked by Lydia’s Where Credit is Due about the Family Christian Bookstore offering credit cards.

If you have a moment, be sure to check out the comments.

Well, it’s past Labor Day and there hasn’t been a word.

Should we begin planning for the Blognic?

The only day that won’t work for me is the 17th.

Q. Why did you delete all the old comments?
A. I didn’t, they are still there. I’m switching to the Haloscan tool for comments.

Aunt B was lambasting one of her favorite targets, Kleinheider and made this comment:

You are a racist. It’s not surprising considering that if you’re white and American you have a 99.9% chance of being a racist. Look at me. I’m a racist. I don’t want to be a racist, obviously; I’d like to believe that I’m a good person and treat everyone equally until proven wrong.

This sparked a flurry of comments (109 at last count). I find it absurd that a very well educated woman with a love of literature would seemingly forget the importance of connotation vs denotation.

In the context above, the word racist pisses me off. The first images that come to mind are of the KKK, riots, lynching, etc. It is an inflammatory word which carries an ugly connotation, its very definition, albeit the second one, denotes action and not inner thought.

I will admit to being prejudiced. I firmly believe it is impossible to live without forming stereotypes. Is this the ideal way to live? No, but it seems to be innate to somewhat compartmentalize, just for simplicity.

I worked in food and beverage for ten years. In a Pavlovian fashion a person, whose income is tip dependent, will learn what to expect upon seeing a customer.* This does not imply that one cannot be surprised in either direction, just that basic parameters are set. In my mind a prejudiced person makes the assumption about the tip, while the racist person alters their service according to that prejudice.

Clearly, this is an argument about semantics. Had B said 99.9% of white Americans were prejudiced, I probably would have ignored the thread completely.

*For the record, the worst possible ‘tips’ were the “In lieu of tip I’ve decided to tell you about Jesus.” I must say this does not inspire Christ-like behavior or thought.

I promised Margo that I’d post the recipe for my Albondigas Soup.

It’s one of the very few recipes that survived my mother’s cooking. (She’s improved greatly, for the record.) The recipe was handed down by my aunt, I believe and is best with fresh tortillas, but store bought will do.

Albondigas Soup
(Mexican Meatball)

2lbs ground beef
2 bunches green onions
2 cans chopped green chilies
2 cans diced tomatoes (sub fresh if possible)
3 qts water
4 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro (divided)
3 cans beef broth (or equivalent amount beef base + water)*
1 egg
1/2 cup rice
Tabasco, salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot place 3qts cold water, at least 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 can green chilies, a good amount of ground pepper, a small amount of Tabasco, and the bulbs of the green onions, minced finely. Add the broth and bring to a boil. (I don’t salt the broth until just prior to serving as it’s very easy to oversalt this soup, particularly if canned broth and tomatoes are used.)

Seperately mix the 2lbs ground beef, 1 can green chilies, 1 bunch green onions, 1/2 bunch cilantro, 2 cloves minced garlic, egg, & salt/pepper and Tabasco. Roll into small meatballs. The flavor can be checked by dropping into the broth. When the meatball floats, it is done. Over the years I’ve learned to bake the meatballs until just done on a broiling pan and then let them drain on paper towels. This lets me eliminate the obnoxious step of defatting the broth. Add the meatballs to the soup. The longer they simmer, the better the flavor.

I add one can of tomatoes with the meatballs and some of the remaining cilantro, reserving the last for just prior to serving. With the broth at a boil add the 1/2 cup rice. When the rice is tender, add the second bunch of green onions, the second can of tomatoes, and the last of the cilantro.

It’s a colorful, flavorful soup best enjoyed with soft flour tortillas. Well, that and margaritas.

Enjoy.

*I use Better than Bouillion as it is lower in salt and does not contain MSG.