08.31.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:33 pm by trueepicure
Thanks to everyone for their kind notes over the last week. I truly appreciate the kindness of my blogging (and non-blogging) friends who have been so completely supportive while I waited to find out whether Cleo had cancer or not. I probably should have been more specific about what was going on, but I wasn’t really feeling like talking about it.
I had taken Cleo to the vet, because she was limping around the house. Originally, I thought she had twisted her joint as she hurtled around the house/off the bed during some of the more thunderous storms we’ve had recently. It wasn’t getting better, so I thought I had better take her in to see what was going on. Long story short, after some X-rays, the doctor thought Cleo might have cancer and we had to do biopsies.
The unexpected good/bad news (depending on how you look at it) is that Cleo needed some knee repair surgery. When the surgeon - a really nice woman named Dr. Lillian Rizzo - went in to take the biopsies, she discovered that there was torn cartilage and another joint issue that I can’t spell. Cleo is all repaired, recovering nicely, and is almost back to her completely wacko self.
Phew!
Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:27 am by trueepicure
I remember singing this song at sleep away camp, years ago. I heard it on the radio last night (who knew that someone actually recorded it!?) and I was blown away by the appropriateness of the song in light of current events.
Listen people to a story
that was written long ago,
’bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley folks below.
On the mountain was a treasure
Hidden deep beneath a stone,
And the valley people swore
They’d have it for their very own.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of heaven,
you can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing,
come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after…
One Tin Soldier rides away.
So the people of the valley
sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they’d kill.
Came the answer from the kingdom,
With our brothers we will share,
All the riches of the mountain,
All the treasure buried there.
Now the valley cried with anger,
Mount your horses, draw your swords
And they killed the mountain people,
So they won their just rewards
Now they stood before the treasure
On the mountain dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it…
Peace On Earth, was all it said.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat and friend,
Do it in the name of heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after…
One Tin Soldier rides away.
composed by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert
Permalink
08.30.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:37 pm by trueepicure
The Eat Local Challenge (ELC) came at the perfect time in my gastronomic career. I recently found out that I am allergic to corn, and I have become an avid food label reader. I have to avoid all corn and products derived from corn. I can’t eat anything at the movie theatre, and almost all Kellogg’s and Nabisco products are on the no-no list. ELC forced me to really think long and hard about how I was going enter this new phase of my life – kicking and screaming or zen-like and willing to take on the, erm, challenge.
Read the rest of this entry »
Permalink
08.23.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:42 pm by trueepicure
Why is it that life happens in pairs? I guess it’s a balance thing or something.
I haven’t been blogging because I have been having one of those pairs of things lately. I have had some great stuff happen to me lately… well, okay, one really wonderful thing (yes, you!). I also have an ongoing awful thing happening. My cat may be really sick, like the sick that you don’t recover from. It’s particularly frustrating because she’ll have to go through various tests, and I won’t know all at once.
I really don’t feel much like blogging, even though I have new recipes and pictures and things. I guess I just need to figure out what happens next. So, when you aren’t seeing a new post on Bloglines, it’s not that Bloglines is acting up again (though it is entirely possible that is what the problem is). I’m just taking a break from stuff for a bit. I’ll be back soon, I promise.
Permalink
08.18.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:04 pm by trueepicure
Last night, Heather and I participated in a vigil to support Cindy Sheehan in her effort to meet with President Bush. While it wasn’t the biggest protest I have ever been to, it was really nice to feel Blue support in a very Red state. 220 people registered to particpate in this particular vigil. There were at least 2 others in the Valley.
A woman asked to take our picture, and at my request, she sent me a copy. So, here we are, protesting a bit, snarking a bit, and generally feeling the Blue Love. 
I’m not sure what happened to the other folks I knew there. I heard Sheryl somewhere across the street, but I don’t know what happened to everyone else. Ah well.
I should also point out that Heather and I are also participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day (donation button to the right). Save the Boobs!
Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:48 am by trueepicure
KnittyBlog is in the Feedster Top 500. It’s number 44, with just under 5,000 incoming links.
Permalink
08.17.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:21 pm by trueepicure
Duuuuude! Local cookies. Who knew?!
Allen & Cowley Specialty Foods, 625 S. Fifth St., Phoenix.
(602) 272-9500 or 1-800-279-1634.
The products can also be found Valley-wide at AJ’s Purveyors of Fine Foods, Whole Foods, and La Grande Orange (4410 N. 40th St., Phoenix.), which is another lovely local place to check out.
Read more about Lee Allen and Mike Cowley in the Arizona Republic.
Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:39 am by trueepicure
I know tonight is SnB, but I’m going to participate in a candelight vigil instead. Candlelight vigils are planned around the country to show our support of Cindy Sheehan, mother of a fallen American soldier. Cindy’s efforts to ask President Bush the reason why her son died in Iraq have inspired communities around the country to demand that our troops be brought home now.
Organizers are planning on people standing on all four corners of the intersection of Central Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix (and other locations around the Valley). Participants will stand on the corners with lit candles, beginning at 7:30pm. If you have the time to join us, please do.
Event Information:
Standing with Cindy Candlelight Vigil to Bring the troops home now
Central Ave & McDowell Road in Phoenix
Wednesday, 17 Aug 2005, 7:30 PM
Bring your candles. Handicap accessable.
Please RSVP,
Address:
1525 .N. Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85004
I should also point out that there are events happening all over the country. Use this link to search for an event in your area.
Permalink
08.16.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 4:28 pm by trueepicure
One of the simplest, yet most satisfying food combinations is the Caprese salad. High quality mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and top quality olive oil make this one of the wonders of the food world. The only thing that could possibly make a caprese salad better, would be to include some good bread.
Imagine my delight when I went to Pane Bianco for the first time several months ago, and I found their mozzarella, tomato, and basil sandwich! A caprese salad on top of the most wonderful foccaccia bread that has ever graced my mouth… could life get any better? Well, yes it could. Housemade mozzarella and foccaccia, locally grown tomatoes and basil make this the perfect locavore treat. The olive oil is imported from Italy, but this goes under the category of exceptions. I’m assuming that it is the same wonderful stuff that is used at Pizzaria Bianco. Pane Bianco has several other sandwiches and salads available on a rotating basis, but I haven’t ever been able to pass up the mozzarella sandwich.
When I was at Pane Bianco last week, I purchased my usual sandwich and a peach from Ft. Bowie, Arizona (116 miles east of Tucson on I-10), which was very possibly the best peach that I have ever had. PB seems to only have one fruit at at time, but after this experience, I will definitely be trying more.
The Biancos are on vacation until next month, so don’t make plans to go imediately. It’s just as well, however, since the only seating at PB is outside, and it’s REALLY hot right now.
Permalink
08.15.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:16 am by trueepicure
I don’t claim to have a complete understanding of everything that is happening in Israel and the Palestinian territory right now, and I’m not even sure what the correct term for the Palestinian lands are right now. That said, I’m seeing some interesting things on the news of late.
I was watching the news last night, our local news being a pretty pathetic option for information, but here we are. They presented a story on the events surrounding the settlers in Gaza and the protests occuring there. One of the protesters made a comment about the Palestinians that I thought was quite narrow minded. A young woman stated that she didn’t understand why the Palestinians needed the land. “There are so many other Arab countries, why don’t they just move there?” I was pretty amazed by the comment.
I suppose that there is so much going on in Gaza right now, that other political turmoil might not be in the forefront of everyone’s minds. I was pretty shocked by someone espousing the idea that “Arabs” are interchangable and that one country would be willing to just absorb an entire population with an entirely different cultural and political history. In light of what is happening in Iraq and the problems faced there by different religious groups… I was just amazed.
Permalink
« Previous entries
